Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Vol. 31 No. 5 May 2005
By Karen Hayes, PhD, ARNP, BC, FNP
ABSTRACT
One of the goals of Healthy People 2010 is for 95% of patients who are ordered medication to receive written medication instructions. The declining physical condition often associated with advanced age, lower literacy levels, and education among members of the current elderly cohorts, and increasingly complex medication regimes for chronic illness affect the ability of many older adults to learn. This article addresses Geragogy, the art and science of helping older adults learn, complimentary theories of learning, and examples of how they can be used to guide the construction of appropriate written medication instructions for older adults.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Hayes is Assistant Professor of Nursing, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas.
Address correspondence to Karen Hayes, PhD, ARNP, BC, FNP, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, Kansas 67260.
